Media Release Embargoed until 07:00 Hanoi time, 3 March 2017

World Wildlife Day Empowering Viet Nams Youth to

Protect Wildlife
Hanoi, 3 March 2017 In recognition of World Wildlife Day today, members of
the conservation community in Viet Nam are encouraging young Vietnamese to
be part of the solution and speak up for the protection of endangered wildlife
species.

Each year on March 3, World Wildlife Day aims to celebrate and raise awareness
of the worlds wild animals and plants. This years theme Listen to the Young
Voices is encouraging youth around the world to rally together to address
ongoing major threats to wildlife, including illicit trafficking, over-exploitation and
habitat loss.

Change must come from within, and right now there is an important window of
opportunity for young people to make a difference for Viet Nams wildlife, said a
spokesperson from a group of 14 organisations working in Viet Nam to protect
wildlife and combat wildlife crime. The group comprises embassies, international
organisations, and local and international non-governmental organisations,
including Animals Asia, British Embassy in Hanoi, CHANGE, Education for Nature-
Vietnam (ENV), Freeland, GIZ, Indo-Myanmar Conservation, Save Vietnams
Wildlife, TRAFFIC, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, U.S. Embassy in
Hanoi, WCS Vietnam, WildAct and WWF-Vietnam.

It is a message that carries particular weight in Viet Nam, where many wildlife
species are facing the brink of extinction due to over-exploitation and illegal
trade. It is a very real threat already played out with the Javan rhino, which was
declared extinct in Viet Nam in 2010; and now many other species including
tigers, elephants, and pangolins are not far behind. While Viet Nam has enacted
a range of efforts in recent years to improve legislation, strengthen law
enforcement, and reduce consumer demand, there is still much more that needs
to be done to respond to wildlife crime.

According to the United Nations Population Fund, Viet Nam is currently recording
the highest proportion of young people in its history. Young people between the
ages of 10 to 24 now represent nearly 40 per cent of the population in Viet Nam,
which presents a unique chance in its history for young people to influence and
contribute to positive change.

As the largest demographic group and the future leaders and decision makers of
Vietnam, it is crucial that young people are empowered to act at both local and
global levels to protect wildlife, said a spokesperson of the conservation group.
By calling for and practicing zero tolerance for wildlife crime starting with our
own behaviour and not purchasing or consuming any products made from
endangered species young people can help to mobilise the change that is
urgently needed.
World Wildlife Day is also a timely opportunity to remember the commitments
made at the third international Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade, which was
hosted by the Government of Viet Nam in November 2016. During the
conference, Viet Nam and other countries made important commitments to end
illegal wildlife trade. It is vital that 2017 is a year of strong and sustained action
to close down illegal wildlife markets and reduce consumer demand for illegal
wildlife products.

World Wildlife Day is a reminder to all of us whether government officials, law

enforcement officers or private citizens that we all need to step up our efforts,
before its too late, said the spokesperson.

Do one thing today to help protect the worlds wildlife. For further information
about World Wildlife Day, visit the website: http://wildlifeday.org/

----- End -----

For more information, please contact:

Jenny Feltham
UNODC Wildlife and Forest Crime Advisor
Email: jenny.feltham@unodc.org
Phone: +84 (0) 1266 062 043

Notes

Animals Asia is devoted to ending the barbaric practice

of bear bile farming, improving the welfare of animals in
Vietnam and China, promoting compassion and respect
for all animals, and working to bring about long-term change through three major
programmes: End Bear Bile Farming, Cat and Dog Welfare and Zoos and Safari
Parks. For more information, please visit http://www.animalsasia.org/

British Embassy in Hanoi

The British Government partnered with Vietnam at the Hanoi
Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in 2016 and will host the next
event in London in 2018.

Center of Hands-on Actions and Networking for Growth and

Environment (CHANGE) Founded in 2013 under VUSTA, CHANGE is an
incredibly active environmental non-profit organization based in Ho Chi Minh
City. CHANGE promotes and encourages the care and preservation of the
environment through education and innovative communications that change
habits and inspire community action in Vietnam.

Education for NatureVietnam (ENV) was established in

2000 as Vietnams first non-governmental organization focused
on the conservation of nature and the protection of the
environment. ENV combats the illegal wildlife trade and aims to
foster greater understanding amongst the Vietnamese public
about the need to protect nature and wildlife. ENV employs creative and
innovative strategies to influence public attitudes and reduce demand for wildlife
trade products. ENV works closely with government partners to strengthen policy
and legislation, and directly supports enforcement efforts in the protection of
endangered species of regional, national, and global significance.
www.envietnam.org / www.thiennhien.org

Freeland is a frontline counter-trafficking organization

working for a world that is free of wildlife trafficking and
human slavery. Our team of law enforcement,
development and communications specialists work
alongside partners in Asia, Africa and the Americas to protect the environment
and vulnerable people from organized crime and corruption.

As a federal enterprise, the Deutsche

Gesellschaft fr Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the
German Government in achieving its objectives
in the field of international cooperation for
sustainable development

Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) is a UK registered

charity that works to prevent the extinction of the Indo-
Myanmar Hotspots globally threatened wildlife. In
Vietnam, the Asian Turtle Program is the principal
program of IMC, with a focus on securing priority populations of highly
threatened tortoise and freshwater turtle species through research, awareness
and enforcement.

Save Vietnam's Wildlife is a national non-profit organisation,

committed to "stop the extinction and champion the recovery
of threatened species in Vietnam.

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, was

established in 1976 in what remains a unique role as a
global specialist, leading and supporting efforts to identify
conservation challenges and support solutions linked to
trade in wild animals and plants. TRAFFIC, works to ensure that trade in wild
plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a
strategic alliance of IUCN and WWF. www.traffic.org

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

(UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against
illicit drugs and international crime, and is
mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, crime
and terrorism. The UNODC Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest
Crime is a four-year programme working for and with the wildlife law
enforcement community to ensure that wildlife crime, illegal logging, and related
crimes are treated as serious transnational organized crimes. www.unodc.org

U.S. Embassy, Hanoi - The United States works in Vietnam and

around the world to combat wildlife trafficking and conserve
biodiversity through U.S. Agency for International Development
programs and training engagements with law enforcement
officials.

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) saves wildlife and wild places

worldwide through science, conservation action, education and
inspiring people to value nature. With more than a century of
experience, long-term commitments in dozens of landscapes, presence in 64
nations and over 6000 staff, WCS has amassed the biological knowledge, cultural
understanding and partnerships to ensure that vibrant, wild places and wildlife
thrive alongside communities.WCS has been working to address wildlife crime in
Vietnam since 2006. For more information, please visit: www.wcs.org

WildAct is a conservation charity and non-governmental

organisation based in Vietnam. Our work is dedicated to tackling
the illegal trade and consumption of wildlife in Vietnam. We aim to
achieve this through raising local peoples awareness and reducing
demand for wildlife products by providing sound scientific information and
education program designed for Vietnamese people. For more information please
visit WildAct website: www.wildact-vn.org

WWF is one of the worlds largest and most respected independent

conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global
network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the
degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in
which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's
biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is
sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
panda.org for news and information.